Organizing at a Highschool - Any ideas

[Emmanual Goldstein]

Hey, I'm trying to organize against the war at my highschool... We're an arts school, which means the kids are generally more sympathetic to anti-war messages than kids at other schools. Unfortunately the kids are mostly unmotivated goth kids/candy ravers. There are more than a few exceptions; we have a group of maybe 10-15 activists, but I'm wondering if you have any ideas as to how I could get the 1700 other kids to do something to stop the war without them being forced to do anything? I made some fliers with big lettering and covered the school with them, so there's an anti-war atmosphere goin, and we could probably hold a teach in..... any other ideas?

[Ian]

Well I don't know much about art schools, but I guess you could do some anti-war art display

[Emmanual Goldstein]

Interesting..... the art teachers would have to be down with it though, along with the administration. The administration tends to frown on 'controversy', and having a display would make controversy seem school sponsored. Very much worth a try though

[Ian]

Well to avoid controversy I would use conventional methods i.e. Leaflets, strategically positioned posters/leaflets/articles. These conventional methods could be used in a visually or artistically appealing way as I'm assuming most of your school is interested in visually appealing things. A colourful leaflet, a diagram, a emotionally striking image such as a dying afghanian* child. Anyway good luck to you

*Afghanians say that Afghans are dogs, and Afghanis are coins used in Afghanistan. So I refer to them as they refer to themselves; as Afghanians

[man in the red suit]

the best and most succesful way is to go into one different club during lunch every day for 2 weeks. (I am assuming they have clubs you can join durijng lunch like anime club etc etc.)

When you go into each club, you meat people, introduce yourself and pass out the fliers. The kids in clubs are motivated and always tend want to take action in something or another.

and of course go to a club that has people who will be willing to join your strike. Obiously going into the laissez faire capitalism club is not going to go too well. But if you go to the positive acting teens club or something of that nature, great.

I know this works. Me and gacky go to the anime club. Although I do not feel to strongly against the war in Iraq, nor do I think that protesting is going to do shit, we still succesfuly transform anime kids into commies, using our propoganda. And although I do not agree with everything that is "leftist" your new founded comrades will. One girl, who I believe was a comrade of her own free will, or maybe we convinced her (who knows) decided to take part in a protest. She is on this site actually. Her name is callmegoggle eyes or something bizarre. Anyway, to prevent rambling, bottom line, go to clubs, the ppl there will listen. And it works

[Goldfinger]

Artists are usually socialist or radical in some way, so I imagine that a fair amount of teachers are radical enough to oppose war (I can't believe that's radical). So finding good socialist teachers would be easy. Just look for the long haired old guys, or the ones who smell the most like tobacco and terpentine.

[Lefty]

It shouldn't be that hard. Organize a seminar or something, call it what you will, about your cause, and advertise it heavily using fliers, posters, etc. Get your 10-15 activist friends to help.